Most on highest-paid list for town of East Bridgewater are men

Sixteen of the top 20 highest-paid town employees in 2012 were men, showing a disparity still exists among the top public wage earners in town, according to payroll records.

By Maria Papadopoulos

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Maria Papadopoulos

Posted May. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 7, 2013 at 7:10 AM

By Maria Papadopoulos

Posted May. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 7, 2013 at 7:10 AM

EAST BRIDGEWATER

» Social News

Sixteen of the top 20 highest-paid town employees in 2012 were men, showing a gender disparity still exists among the top public wage earners in town, according to payroll records.

The four women who made the list of top 20 earners were all school administrators.

School Superintendent Susan Cote came in second overall, earning $140,700 as the head of the 2,251-student school district. She declined to comment for this story.

The other top women earners were Kelly Bitinas, assistant principal at East Bridgewater High School; Gina Williams, principal of the Central Elementary School; and Patricia Lugo, school business administrator.

Former selectmen Chairwoman Theresa McNulty said she’d like to see more women on the list of the highest-paid town employees.

“ If (women are) are qualified for the same job as a man, they should make the same salary as a man,” McNulty said. “Women should be earning comparable salaries for comparable work.”

School administration, police and fire officials topped the list of the highest-paid town employees.

The Police Department had eight officers, including the police chief, among the top 20 highest-paid town workers – along with four firefighters, six school administrators, the highway superintendent and the town administrator.

Police Chief John Cowan topped the list, making $146,722 as the head of the police department that employs 20 full-time officers and three full-time dispatchers.

The other school administrators in the top 20 highest paid town employees were East Bridgewater High School Principal Paul Vieira and Andrew John Gentile, principal of the Mitchell Middle School.

Similar to the numbers from 2011, members of the Police Department rank high in pay among town employees.

Police Sgt. Scott C. Allen was the third highest-paid employee in town, earning $139,646. Police Sgt. Steven A. Brown ranked fifth making $134,333. Town Administrator George Samia came in fourth with a salary of $135,045.